“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad” (Psalm 118)

by Shiu Lan 2017-04-13

Shiu Lan 2017-04-16

The Resurrection of the Lord

Acts 10:34A, 37-43
Peter proceeded to speak and said: “You know what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree. This man God raised on the third day and granted that he be visible, not to all the people, but to us, the witnesses chosen by God in advance, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Colossians 3:1-4
Brothers and sisters: If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ your life appears, then you too will appear with him in glory.

John 20:1-9
On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” So Peter and the other disciple went out and came to the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and arrived at the tomb first; he bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there, and the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place. Then the other disciple also went in, the one who had arrived at the tomb first, and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.

Christ has died and is arisen. Darkness becomes light. Christ has redeemed all humanity from sin. We are in joyful hope that one day in God’s good time all those who have left this world will be resurrected like Jesus was.

In today’s Gospel reading, we heard how Jesus rose from the dead on the third day and appeared to Mary Magdalene. She recognized Jesus when He said to her “Mary!” (Gospel reading John 20:16). Later on the same day, Jesus appeared to his two sad-looking disciples who were on their way to a village called Emmaus. They recognized Jesus in the breaking of the bread: “When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him,” (Alternate Gospel Reading Luke 24:30).

Every time we go to Mass, can we recognize Jesus during the Liturgy of the Eucharist? We learn from our Catholic faith formation or Catechism class that Jesus, body and blood, is truly present in the Holy Eucharist. But in addition to recognizing Jesus’ real presence in the Eucharist, what else does it mean for us to recognize Jesus?

Today’s Mass Readings give us some clues. To recognize Jesus also means that we must “seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God” (Second reading, Colossians 3:1-2). Knowing Jesus’ word in the Gospels is not enough, we must live it out every day. Jesus said, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” from being a “slave to sin” (Jn 8:31-32, 34).

Let us celebrate Easter in the way that St Paul taught the Corinthians, i.e. celebrating it “with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (Alternate Second reading, 1 Corinthians 5:8). A life lived in sincerity and truth is the core of our Christian faith. After the Easter bunnies, chocolates, and brunches, we must also remember the true reason for the joy of Easter.

Alleluia, Christ is risen!

resurrection

Shiu Lan

Shiu Lan is your Catholic neighbour with a simple faith and likes praying the Rosary. With a B.Sc from the University of Hong Kong, she worked in Information Technology and Project Management before working with joy at home.

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“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad” (Psalm 118)

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